Summa Theologica

I answer that, something is said to be superfluous in two ways: in one way according to absolute quantity, and according to this, there cannot be anything superfluous in divine worship, because a man cannot do anything that is not less than what he owes to God; in another way, there can be something superfluous according to the quantity of proportion, because, namely, it is not proportioned to the end. Now the end of divine worship is that man should give glory to God, and subject himself to Him in mind and body. And therefore, whatever a man may do that pertains to the glory of God, and to this, that the mind of man should be subjected to God, and also the body through moderate restraint of concupiscence, according to the ordination of God and the Church, and the custom of those among whom a man lives, is not superfluous in divine worship. But if there be something which, as far as it is concerned, does not pertain to the glory of God, nor to this, that the mind of man should be borne toward God, or that the disordered concupiscences of the flesh should be restrained, or even if it be beyond the institution of God and the Church (1), or against common custom, which according to Augustine (Epistle 36, formerly 86, to Casulanus, little from the beginning) is to be held as law, all this is to be deemed superfluous and superstitious, because, consisting only in exterior things, it does not pertain to the interior worship of God. Whence Augustine (Book On True Religion, ch. 3, from the middle) brings forward what is said (Luke XVII, 21): The kingdom of God is within you, against the superstitious, who, namely, expend their principal care on exterior things.

To the first, therefore, it must be said that in the very glorification of God it is implied that that which is done should pertain to the glory of God; by which the superfluity of superstition is excluded.

To the second, it must be said that through faith, hope, and charity the soul is subjected to God; whence there cannot be anything superfluous in them. But it is otherwise regarding exterior acts, which sometimes do not pertain to these.

To the third, it must be said that that argument proceeds concerning what is superfluous regarding absolute quantity.

QUESTION XCIV.

ON IDOLATRY, DIVIDED INTO FOUR ARTICLES.

Next, we must consider idolatry; and concerning this, four things are asked: 1. Whether idolatry is a species of superstition. — 2. Whether it is a sin. — 3. Whether it is the gravest of sins. — 4. Concerning the cause of this sin. — But whether one should communicate with idolaters was spoken of above, when infidelity was treated (Q. X, art. 7 and 10).

ARTICLE I. — WHETHER IDOLATRY IS CORRECTLY PLACED AS A SPECIES OF SUPERSTITION (2).

Concerning these matters, see also Sent. III, dist. 9, Q. 1, art. 1, Q. III ad 5, and Contra Gentiles, Book III, ch. 120.

To the first, we proceed thus. 1. It seems that idolatry is not correctly placed as a species of superstition. For just as heretics are infidels, so too are idolaters. But heresy is a species of infidelity, as was held above (Q. XI, art. 1). Therefore, so is idolatry; and not of superstition.

2. Furthermore, latria pertains to the virtue of religion, to which superstition is opposed. But idolatry seems to be called latria univocally with that which [is directed] to true re...